Cuba relies heavily on imported fuel, and Venezuela was believed to have sent around 35,000 barrels of oil a day to Cuba – accounting for about half of the island’s oil needs.<\/p>\n
But these shipments have been halted since the US captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in January.<\/p>\n
Since then, the US has ramped up pressure on Cuba by seizing a number of oil shipments bound for the island. US president Donald Trump has also threatened tariffs on any country that supplies oil to Cuba.<\/p>\n
No oil shipments have arrived in Cuba in the last three months, according to Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel.<\/p>\n
Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday that he believed he would have the “honour of taking Cuba”.<\/p>\n
“Whether I free it, take it, I could do anything I want with it, you want to know the truth. They’re a very weakened nation right now.”<\/p>\n
He previously threatened a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, a long-time foe of the US since communist leader Fidel Castro overthrew a US-backed government in 1959.<\/p>\n
Last week, President Diaz-Canel confirmed his government was in the initial stages of talks with the Trump administration to resolve differences.<\/p>\n
Widespread power outages – caused by the fuel shortages and faults in its power grid – have triggered protests among Cubans in recent years.<\/p>\n